Bonsai
owners and enthusiasts are invited to visit the next craft market on
27 February 2010 with their treasured bonsai to get advice, help
and guidance from Stan Holroyd of Hare-Yama Ryu, long-time bonsai grower from
Somerset West. Stan plans to demonstrate some of the finer aspects of bonsai
that make simple potted plants, into fine bonsai.

Stan's
Hare-Yama Ryu is a home for a number of oriental arts, including some that have been a
lifelong passion of his. Gathered together under this umbrella are such arts
as karate-do, tai-chi, sumi-e, sui-seki and ceramics. Stan is a
karate and tai chi instructor, and offers classes and workshops in bonsai and other
Japanese arts.

Bonsai is one
of his main interests and he covers all aspects of this art form from
propagation of new plants, ceramic pot making, to developing aged specimens.
Stan claims this much misunderstood and often over-commercialised art has
spawned all manner of imitations that distract from the true nobility of this
respected Japanese art form. Even the name Bonsai is interpreted in many
incorrect ways, yet the true meaning of the name defines the essence of the
art.

Bon (tray or
container) Sai (planting) may sound like it simply means planting something
in a pot, yet it is the act of planting and what that planting represents
that captures the spirit of Bonsai.

It can be said
with pride by bonsai growers that bonsai is an art of illusion, the aim being
to create a small scene that conveys a believable and natural looking image
of immensity and age. While bnosai can include virtually any planted scene
using live plants, trees are the most popular plantings. And in this
case, with any good bonsai, it should be possible to write the tree's life story
from the characteristics the grower builds into the tree's design.

Many techniques are used by bonsai artists to convey images of
age, exaggerated size, an interactions with nature. Good growers using these
techniques well will make a 5 year old tree look like a huge, healthy 20 year old survivor.
Poor application of the techniques might well make a 20 year old tree look like a dwarfed, 5 years old
struggler.

When the craft
is good, bonsai will carry the scars of the interaction of the plants with
the natural elements, showing the plants' fight back from disasters,
searching out a new balance with nature. Poor craft on the other hand, looks
clumsy, threatens the plants well being, and in simply unconvincing.

The illusion
of size is key to the success of a good bonsai. Stan hopes to show at his
demonstration how correct bonsai trimming is used as a key technique that
develops the apparent hugeness of these small trees.

Stan has
studied many aspects of Japanese arts and culture and finds that respect
underlines all aspects of their lives and arts. He tells that Japanese do not
see man as apart from nature, but a part of nature. He stresses, "We
would do well to understand this as well so that we see that what harm we do
to nature, is actually harm done to ourselves."

"All
their art forms," he observes, "are guided by this respect and in
bonsai, this is all too important as well - and sadly all too often
neglected." Stan believes that if we choose to use the Japanese names of
their art forms, we should at least try to understand and respect the essence
behind them as originally envisaged by their inventors.

Just as with
bonsai, good craft is the key to good craftwork, and the Country Craft Market
prides itself in applying this standard to all its crafters, thereby
maintaining the highest standards. The first step towards achieving this is
through the careful selection of new members that ensures both variety and
quality. The season for applications for new crafters is now upon us and the
organisers will be starting to receive applications at the next market. Full
details are at

So
that is just another reason to be at the craft market on 27 February, where
you can also share some bonsai ideas with Stan. Bring your bonsai along to
brag about, ask Stan's advice and opinions on them, get then trimmed, or just
for whatever other reason there may be. Stan looks forward to meeting your
trees and you. He will also be performing various bonsai techniques
throughout the morning.